Some of the top names in the women’s sports world will convene today and Friday for the 10th annual Women in Sports Business Symposium in the Lillis Business Complex.
This year’s theme, “Fueling Opportunity: Women, Sports and the Bottom Line,” includes 14 guest panelists whose expertise ranges from targeting female consumers to marketing professional sports to female fans to working with female athletes.
“It’s always a goal to bring in the most diverse group and different people every two years,” Kristin Harrer, event co-director, said. “We got lucky this year.”
Lee Ann Daly, former executive vice-president of marketing for ESPN, will give the keynote speech on opportunities in sports business today at 4:30 p.m. in Lillis 182.
At ESPN, Daly was responsible for the development, direction and implementation of all branding, creative services and marketing.
She and her team were responsible for the development or enhancement of more than 50 campaigns annually, including the slogan “This is SportsCenter,” and has received multiple honors for her work.
Daly now works in an advisory role with ESPN and is eager to share her experience and advice with students.
After her speech today, Daly will be awarded the Women’s Business Symposium Woman of the Year honor by the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center for her dedication and passion to the sports profession.
“I’m so lucky to get to do what I’ve gotten to do,” Daly said. “And to give somebody the courage to go in and apply themselves and be brave … is my personal reason for (attending).”
There will also be three panel sessions on Friday. The first panel, “The Female Consumer: Fueling the Expansion of the Sports Product Market,” begins at 8:30 a.m. and features panelists Paul Swangard, managing director of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center; Jolynn Ovington, founding team member and director of merchandising at NAU, a startup company specializing in sustainable apparel; Lara Merriken, CEO and founder of Humm Foods, which includes the LaraBar; Susan Parker, CEO of Frank Creative; and Merritt Richardson, the strategic assistant to the CEO at Nike.
The second panel, beginning at 10 a.m., is dedicated to “The Female Fan: Marketing Men’s Professional Sports to Women.” The panel will be moderated by Whitney Wagoner, an instructor of sports business at the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center. She will be accompanied by Angela Batinovich, managing partner of the Portland Lumberjax; Lisa Walker, co-owner and director of marketing for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes; and Nona Lee, vice president and general counsel with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The last panel, at 11:30 a.m., is “The Female Athlete: Managing, Marketing and Promoting Women’s Sports.” Cathy Griffin, founder of Own Your Own Career, will moderate it. The other panelists are Renee Baumgartner, senior associate athletic director at the University; Teresa Kuehn, deputy director of athletics at California; and Patrick Linden, the president and CEO of National Pro Fastpitch.
Harrer said the event’s past success helped the planners assemble this year’s accomplished field. “(The symposium) has gained a national reputation. People in the industry know about Warsaw and this event,” Harrer said. “When they receive the invitation, it’s an honor.”
The event is hosted by the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center, which was founded in 1994 by James H. Warsaw, who entered a career in sports business in 1969 after graduating from the University.
Harrer and co-director Kirsten Eckelmeyer said the event, which is free and open to the public, was established to celebrate the achievements of women in sports and to provide networking opportunities for those interested in entering the field.
“It’s a great learning and networking opportunity with some top names in the industry,” Eckelmeyer said.

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